Messenger
by Kalira69
Summary: Sotoga enjoys his specialisation as a messenger nin, and has always disdained most things extraneous to his duties, be it all manner of foolishness or gossip. When he finds Uzumaki-hime, the Hokage's wife, married into the Senju, in the arms of an Uchiha. . . Gossip and drama seem inescapable as he contemplates his duty to report this to his Hokage, Shinobi no Kami.


Written for Founders Week 2019 Day 1: Loyalty

Also using this to mark off a space for Naruto Rare Pair Bingo 2019 - Izuna, on Board C.

* * *

Sotoga fingered the remaining scrolls in his bag as he stepped out into the sunshine, nose wrinkling a bit as the ever-present sea-salt tang to the air grew even stronger in his nose again. Uzushio was impressive and very pretty, he supposed, and the sea was a wonder, but he would be glad to soon be on his way back to his own village.

Still, it was a pleasure added to his mission to bring personal messages to those nin on long assignment here, and Sotoga smiled as he went about tracking them all down. He hesitated only over the final one he had to give. _This_ one could have been an official part of his mission, included with the diplomatic dispatches and similar scrolls, but no, the Hokage had approached him personally, as so many other Konoha residents had, and simply asked him to carry it.

Sotoga shivered and shook his head. The Hokage was kind and friendly, but somehow it just made him . . . a little bit _more_ alarming when he was in close proximity. Sotoga _knew_ how powerful he was, to see him seemingly playacting at being all but harmless was . . . unsettling.

Sotoga headed for the house hosting Uzumaki-hime during her visit - apparently it would be 'inappropriate' for her to return to her father's house; Sotoga didn't pretend to understand the politics of it - with the scroll his Hokage had entrusted to him in hand. He found her lounging in the shade outside, and hesitated, uncertain whether he should approach her when he wasn't even sure she was awake.

While he had yet to make up his mind, Uchiha Izuna appeared around the far corner of the property, heading directly across the grass towards her. Sotoga frowned slightly, but shook it off; he had never been assigned as a bodyguard to a figure quite like the Hokage's wife - for which he was thankful, he didn't think his nerves _or_ his skills were up to such a thing - he could hardly judge Izuna's completion of the task.

"Mito-hime!" Izuna said, approaching Uzumaki-hime as she rose, smiling faintly. Sotoga took a step out of his half-concealed place and made to approach. He kept his pace slow enough to allow them to exchange greetings first, then nearly froze as Izuna walked straight to Uzumaki-hime and _closer_, directly into her arms as they came up, closing around him.

Sotoga swallowed thickly, glancing around with wide eyes. He looked back to find that Izuna had bowed his head close to Uzumaki-hime's and she had buried her fingers in his long hair, petting it down his back. Sotoga's stomach twisted, mind full of his Hokage's bright and mildly alarming smile, the chakra presence so strong that even Sotoga, who had almost no gift for sensing such things, felt dwarfed and shadowed simply by being anywhere near him.

He couldn't bring himself to go to Uzumaki-hime _now_. He looked down at the scroll he held in trust to deliver to her. The message from her _husband_. He winced as he backed away, glancing back once more almost unwillingly.

Uzumaki-hime released Izuna and settled back on her chair, and he _followed her_, making himself comfortable on the edge of her chair, leaning over her a little. She laughed, just loud enough for Sotoga to hear - she, the most coolly reserved figure Sotoga thought he had ever seen, even more so than Senju-sama the Hokage's brother - and stretched, her hip nudging against his thigh.

Izuna leaned closer, raising one hand and trailing it up from Uzumaki-hime's obi, following the tomoeri where her kimono crossed over her chest, and Sotoga blanched, turned around, and took himself off before he could see anything _else_. He was _not_ bringing his missive to her _now_.

There would _have_ to be a better time to speak with Uzumaki-hime. Hopefully when she was away from Izuna, Sotoga thought despairingly. Her _bodyguard_. Probably chosen for her _by_ the Hokage.

Sotoga cringed as he made his way through the winding streets of Uzushio, and tried to . . . put it all out of his mind.

He returned to Uzumaki-hime's house later in the day, shortly before the dinner hour, and faintly hoped she would be alone . . . or at least that Izuna would be doing something _responsible_ towards his duties as a bodyguard, like walking a patrol. Even if they _were_ back in Uzumaki-hime's home village, where she was hopefully as safe as she would be in Konoha.

Sotoga knocked at the door and straightened properly, shoulders back and hands at his sides. Uzumaki-hime opened the door to him after only a few moments and Sotoga was relieved, smiling as he bowed politely to her and reached for the scroll in his belt pouch.

His movements hitched as his eyes slipped thoughtlessly past Uzumaki-hime - the picture of elegance, not a hair out of place - to land on Izuna. Sprawled on the couch behind her and. . . and looking very . . . _rumpled_. His hair was mussed and falling from its usual tail, his face faintly flushed, and his shirt was gone - there was a bundle of fabric crumpled mostly beneath one of his shoulders that might be it.

Sotoga felt dizzy for a moment.

"Konoha chuunin-san?"

Sotoga startled, then blanched. "Uzumaki-hime." he bowed hurriedly and tried not to look at Izuna again; he couldn't help looking at Uzumaki-hime, but at least she didn't _look_. . . "I am sorry to disturb you," he said, a little amazed his voice stayed so even, "however, I have a personal missive for you, from Hokage-sama." He couldn't quite keep the edge from his voice on _that_.

Uzumaki-hime looked at him for a moment, then smiled. "Ah, thank you!" she said warmly, extending a hand.

"Mito-hime. . ." Izuna all but _whined_ from behind her. Sotoga couldn't quite keep himself from glancing reflexively at him again. He wriggled a bit on the couch, rolling to one side to face the doorway and pouting.

"Something from Hashirama, pet." Uzumaki-hime said, lips curling a little more. "A personal message."

"Oh?" Izuna sat up, a grin blooming on his face, and Sotoga looked away again, fighting not to fidget. His stomach knotted uncomfortably. How could. . .

He took a breath. "I will be leaving to return to Konoha the day after tomorrow, Uzumaki-hime," he dipped his head in a shallow bow, "carrying all the official correspondence and, of course, any personal messages or deliveries anyone wishes to send back to Konoha. . ."

Uzumaki-hime hummed and smiled at him, inclining her head. "Thank you."

Sotoga bowed properly again. "It is my honour to perform such a service along with my missions, Uzumaki-hime." he said politely.

"A credit to your village, then." Uzumaki-hime said, and Sotoga cringed a bit, inwardly. "I thank you. Good evening, chuunin-san."

"Good evening, Uzumaki-hime."

Sotoga took himself off as quickly as was reasonably polite to move through an unfamiliar village as soon as Uzumaki-hime had closed the door.

If he'd at all thought - feared, _hoped_ \- he had been mistaken over what he had seen between Uzumaki-hime and her bodyguard earlier. . . Sotoga groaned. How _could_ the hime, the _Hokage's wife_. . .

Sotoga swallowed, pausing before ascending to the small room he was staying in for his few days in Uzushio.

Someone would have to report to the Hokage. It would be . . . betrayal _not_ to, after what he had seen, what he knew. Sotoga desperately wished it was _not_ him who had seen, who would have to bring the news back, but he couldn't remain silent, faced with this.

* * *

"Ah, chuunin-san!"

Sotoga turned, then stilled for a moment. He'd never been terribly uncomfortable around the Uchiha, any of them, even those of the head family - although Uchiha Madara could make almost _anyone_ nervous, he thought with a shudder - but. . .

Sotoga could hardly bring himself to look at Uchiha Izuna any more, and it had nothing to do with knowing his Sharingan were lurking, ready to be shown at any moment.

"Izuna-san." Sotoga dipped his head in a shallow bow. "A personal missive?" he guessed, and suppressed a sigh at the thought of seeking out Uchiha Madara on purpose.

"Yes! For Hashirama-sama." Izuna said, voice hitching faintly across their Hokage's name. Sotoga just stared at him for a moment. "You told Mito-hime you would be carrying personal messages as well?" Izuna prompted, waggling the scroll almost in his face. "This is for Hashirama-sama. Mito-hime is busy," he raised his eyebrows, "not that it should matter; you are carrying personal missives for _all_ Konoha nin assigned here, yes?"

". . .of course." Sotoga said quickly. "I am, certainly. My apologies, Izuna-san, I was merely surprised." He accepted the scroll, checked it briefly so he would remember which it was and to whom it was bound, and then slotted it amongst the others in his satchel. "Did you have any other messages you wished me to carry back?"

"Nah," Izuna grinned, "my brother will see me again soon enough and letters won't make him fret any less."

"As you say, Izuna-san." Sotoga said, trying to imagine Uchiha-sama _fretting_.

"Thank you!" Izuna said with a grin, nodding to Sotoga and then turning to stride away before he could think to say anything else.

* * *

Sotoga had spent his entire trip back from Uzushio - fortunately not a difficult one, and he had been accosted only once, by a pair of civilian bandits who wouldn't even have had a chance of slowing him if he hadn't already been stopped for a rest - dwelling on nothing more frequently than Uzumaki-hime, Izuna, and _the Hokage_.

The scroll he carried for the Hokage from his wife was barely worthy of notice, he would have expected to be entrusted with one, but the news that Sotoga himself carried, knowing he would have to report it. . .

It had occurred to him several hours outside of Uzushio that it might do him well to bring his news - and his concerns - elsewhere first. And Senju-sama the Hokage's brother was quite a reasonable man . . . and could perhaps better address the issue with the Hokage himself.

Sotoga would be quite relieved if he didn't have to be involved at all, wished for it in fact, but he knew _that_ was unlikely. It was his report, after all.

Still, he was marginally less anxious as he made his way to Senju-sama's office before even thinking of heading to see the Hokage.

"Ah, Senju-sama?"

Tobirama made a vague sound of acknowledgement without raising his head, one hand splayed over a page spread out before him, the other rifling through a stack of other papers as he skimmed through them.

"I- I was the messenger-nin dispatched to Uzushio, Senju-sama. . ." Sotoga said hesitantly, and Tobirama finally raised his head. Sotoga bowed shallowly as harsh red eyes swept over him. "With the official dispatches, but also private messages for Konoha nin on diplomatic assignment there, and for- for the Hokage's wife, ano, Uzumaki-hime. . ."

"Yes?" Tobirama prompted, raising an eyebrow.

"I. . ." Sotoga fiddled with the scroll he had from the Uzumaki-hime. "That is, there is _a concern_, and I thought perhaps it best I bring it to you before Hokage-sama. . ."

Tobirama's expression chilled another few degrees. "What?" he said sharply.

Sotoga bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to flinch or retreat. "Once I reached Uzushio I delivered the official correspondence first, of course, before ah, seeing to the personal missives entrusted to me, including the one from Hokage-sama himself, and when I searched out Uzumaki-hime to-"

"Ah. You'd best speak with my brother directly." Tobirama interrupted, a bit short and sharp, and gestured towards the door. "He's been most . . . eager for news."

Sotoga quailed, wincing.

"Go on." Tobirama ordered, and Sotoga bowed.

"Yes, Senju-sama." he said miserably, and turned to leave Tobirama's office, heading instead for the Hokage's office, his heart sinking towards his toes. It had occurred to him that he might take his concern to Uchiha-sama - it _was_ a matter involving his brother, his heir - but . . . it felt wrong. His loyalty and his duty was to the Hokage.

. . .and Sotoga found the thought of trying to speak of such a thing to Uchiha-sama daunting in another way. Would he even believe Sotoga, or call him out for saying such horrible things about his brother?

Sotoga shuddered. Uchiha-sama's temper was legendary, nearly so as Hokage-sama's power. Sotoga had no wish to come any nearer to it than he already had merely by witnessing the occasional outburst.

Sotoga hesitated at the door to the Hokage's office. He was the _Hokage_, and Sotoga hadn't been summoned, no doubt the Hokage was _busy_, and Sotoga shouldn't assume he could just. . .

Sotoga sighed, bowing his head for a moment and rubbing his face. He reached into his satchel for the scroll Izuna had passed to him from Uzumaki-hime. He was delaying. He had good reason to be there and he couldn't reasonably _delay_ unless the Hokage were to send him away.

When would he better approach the Hokage, in any case? At his home?

Sotoga shuddered and knocked before he could hesitate any further. The Hokage called for him to enter in a cheerful tone, and Sotoga swallowed and stepped inside, bracing himself as best he could.

"Hokage-sama." Sotoga bowed, then approached the desk. "I'm sorry to intrude without an appointment, but I-"

"Ah, Sotoga-san!" Hokage-sama said, grinning, and Sotoga was stymied for a moment. "You have returned from Uzushio, then! All went well?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Sotoga reported, because officially speaking it _had_. "I have return messages. The official ones have already been delivered. I also have news for- for _you_, Hokage-sama. Senju-sama said I should come directly. If it would be better-"

"News?" Hokage-sama perked up a little more, if that was possible, leaning forwards over his desk. "Personal news?"

"Two things." Sotoga agreed, his mouth dry. "This is from Uzumaki-hime." He withdrew the scroll from his satchel and passed it over to the Hokage's eagerly reaching hands.

"Thank you!" the Hokage cried happily, stroking it before putting it down on his desk with an obvious, lingering show of reluctance and raising his head attentively. Sotoga felt, if possible, _worse_ at the reminder that whatever politics had been involved in their marriage, his Hokage also truly adored his wife, as was clear to anyone who was ever in their vicinity. "And the other thing?"

Sotoga took a breath. "I have a . . . personal report." he said thinly, and the Hokage nodded, watching him. "Hokage-sama, I am- I am very sorry to report," he said slowly, wincing, "that when I sought out your- Uzumaki-hime to deliver your message," the Hokage nodded, smile not wavering, "I found her with- with Uchiha Izuna." he hesitated.

"Of course." the Hokage said with a nod.

"Ah, yes. Erm." Sotoga floundered briefly. Of course Uzumaki-hime's _bodyguard_ had been _with her_. That wasn't- "I found him- _her_\- They were . . . cuddling. Rather intimately. Hokage-sama."

The Hokage's smile held for a moment, then wavered as he leaned more heavily against his desk with a deep sigh. Sotoga was so tense he _ached_.

"They were. . ." the Hokage trailed off, and Sotoga provided a few details of what he had seen, his heart racing nervously.

"Cuddling together?" the Hokage asked, looking up at Sotoga with damp eyes. "Were-" he paused. "Were they happy?" he asked softly.

Sotoga opened his mouth, then closed it. He wasn't sure how to answer that. It was . . . not the type of question he had at all anticipated being faced with.

"You didn't have to tell me that. . ." the Hokage said mournfully before he could come up with an answer, almost whining.

"I am _deeply_ sorry, Hokage-sama, to be the one bringing you this news. . ." Sotoga said, awkward but honest. "I assure you I am quite certain of what I observed, however." he added hurriedly, beginning to describe how Izuna had touched Uzumaki-hime when he first saw them, how she had welcomed his hands. "I didn't wish to see, of course, I mean- I was not _spying_, merely attempting to bring your message to Uzumaki-hime." Sotoga assured the Hokage before thinking of how he had found them later, unsure how to tell the Hokage that he had seen them clearly only moments removed from being entangled on the couch - and Izuna half-naked and mussed, obviously from Uzumaki-hime's hands.

"Please, that is . . . enough." the Hokage said. Sotoga's mouth snapped shut mid-word and he swallowed thickly. "I've heard enough. Thank-" his voice wavered. "Thank you for your report, Sotoga-san. Please, you may go now."

Sotoga hesitated, but only for half a breath. He bowed. "Certainly, Hokage-sama. Ah- My deepest apologies, once more, I didn't- Excuse me, Hokage-sama." he said, bowing again and making himself hurriedly scarce, closing the door behind him. He stopped in the corridor, reeling slightly.

Sotoga was glad - if . . . more than a little surprised - to have made it out of giving this _particular_ report unscathed, but as he retreated - wincing at the sound of the Hokage _sniffling_ where he was draped over his desk and the as yet unopened letter from his wife. . . Sotoga worried further, chills running through him. What would the Hokage's reaction be when Uzumaki-hime and Izuna returned from Uzushio?

Sotoga shuddered as he hurried to leave the Hokage Tower behind.

* * *

Sotoga slowed as he approached the gate, signing in by rote with the guards on duty. He frowned curiously, proceeding at the same slow pace he'd dropped into as he approached the gate rather than pick it up to his usual travelling speeds again. "Why are there so many people around?" he asked, leaning towards one of the gate guards.

"Better part of the delegation's back from Uzushio."

"Ah, right." Sotoga smiled and ducked his head in a nod, moving out of the way and further into the crowd assembled. He recognised a few of the ninja now as ones he had carried messages to - and from - a couple of weeks ago. Plenty of Konoha nin - and some civilians - had turned out to greet those returning from their placement, whether they were part of the group that had been in Uzushio for weeks or those stationed there for months.

Even the Hokage was here to greet them, Sotoga saw after a moment. He twitched. Of course the Hokage was here, but. . .

He hurriedly skimmed the crowd as he threaded through it further in towards the village proper, already knowing that _of course_-

There was Uzumaki-hime, with Izuna in close attendance beside her, laughing and gesturing broadly. Far closer and _louder_ than he should be as her guard, even if he was not really needed any longer inside Konoha.

"Mito!"

Sotoga jumped at the Hokage's voice, raised and unmistakable. He cringed. He could have wished that this . . . would not have happened in such an open space. Senju-sama and Uchiha-sama were nearby as well and- and Sotoga had no idea upon which of the returning pair the Hokage's reaction would fall hardest, or both, and while it would be an incredible political disaster with Uzushio were he to attack his wife, if he were to attack Uchiha-sama's brother. . .

Uzumaki-hime, married to a Senju, one who was hailed as _Shinobi no Kami_, had chosen not only to betray their marriage bonds but to do so _with an Uchiha_, Sotoga could not begin to imagine how disastrous-

Sotoga's eyes widened as the Hokage caught hold of his wife, dragging her close and into a tight embrace. Uzumaki-hime was swept up in the arm he wrapped around her waist as he kissed her firmly, bending her backwards a little with it. She rested one hand on his face as she bowed gently in the grip of his . . . enthusiastic greeting.

Uzumaki-hime was smiling - small, but warm - as he pulled away, still holding her tightly against himself, grinning. Her lips moved, but as _she_ spoke at a normal volume, Sotoga didn't know what she was saying.

The Hokage, on the other hand. . . "Darling!" he cried, and hugged his wife tighter, but he released her barely a moment later, turning to Izuna. Sotoga tensed again, feeling sick, and-

"Izu-pet!" the Hokage cried delightedly, and Izuna darted nearer only to be caught in the Hokage's arms and swept off his feet into the air, spun around and then brought down into a fierce embrace and a hard kiss before his feet even touched the ground again. Izuna's arms rose to wrap around the Hokage's shoulders, one hand buried in his long hair, returning the kiss and arching to push bodily against the Hokage, though he could hardly have gotten any _closer_ to the Hokage.

"Hashi-kami. . ." Izuna nearly crooned as they pulled away, breathless but carrying easily, hands stroking the Hokage's shoulders. "We missed you. . ."

The Hokage grinned, nuzzling his face and hugging him tighter, his slender body bowing in the Hokage's arms, then kissing him again rather than speak. Izuna's hand returned to the Hokage's hair and he held tight as their kiss grew even more visibly heated.

Sotoga couldn't- He stared. Uzumaki-hime still wore her faint smile, though she shook her head a little as she watched them. The Hokage loosened his embrace just enough to slide one hand down Izuna's back almost to his ass, then back up as he arched, stopping splayed across one of his shoulder blades.

It suddenly occurred to Sotoga what he had _done_, speaking to the Hokage about what he had seen, if this was. . . He blanched, swaying on his feet, and took a few steps backwards to cling to a post.

Senju-sama and Uchiha-sama were glowering, but Izuna was certainly in one piece as he and the Hokage very slowly ceased their passionate kissing and eased their grip on one another slightly, and Uzumaki-hime's chiding expression was touched with fondness as she watched them. Sotoga shuddered and backed away further, not yet feeling any _steadier_ and beginning to flush, mortified.

"_How_ does my brother have no sense of propriety?" Uchiha-sama muttered, and Sotoga's eyes widened as he realised he must have stepped right past them without realising. "Our ancestors would be _shamed_, how can-"

"Yes, dearest, I know." Senju-sama said, voice dry, raising a hand and stroking Uchiha-sama's back. Sotoga's eyes widened painfully. "Izuna is a dreadful excuse for an Uchiha and possesses not a jot of shame."

Uchiha-sama grumbled dully, but the tone softened as Senju-sama's hand pressed into his hair, fingertips rubbing his neck gently through the spiky mass. It was . . . closer to a purr, actually, and Uchiha-sama was leaning towards Senju-sama, his lips turning up into the slightest of smiles as his stark gaze warmed.

Sotoga swallowed thickly and reached out for the fence nearby as he made his way as quickly as he could manage out of the crowd and towards his apartment. It wasn't until he got there and collapsed just inside the genkan that he recalled he had a mission report to deliver.

He would . . . go in later. Just at the moment he was confident neither that he could cross the village, nor that he might force down his embarrassment enough to speak to anyone.

* * *

Hashirama made his way home from welcoming the returning delegation and dealing with the most pressing things - those he couldn't pass off to his brother and Madara, with a little pleading - as quickly as possible. "Darling wife? Izu-pet?" he called as he left both shoes and outer layer near the door.

"Here, anata." Mito's voice called him through into the bedroom, and Hashirama went eagerly, only to pause inside the doorway, pouting.

Mito and Izuna lay in their bed, Mito curled close to Izuna's shoulder, both of them atop the covers. Mito wore a light, casual yukata and Izuna only his pants and one of Hashirama's own short yukata shirts, Mito's hand tucked up beneath the fabric over his side and Izuna's arm around her waist.

"Well this isn't fair." Hashirama pouted at them sadly. "I'm the one who was left all alone while you were away, and now I don't even get snuggles?"

"Anata." Mito began, but Izuna only turned, smiling at him, heavy-lidded eyes meeting his own.

"We are only waiting for you, Hashi-kami." Izuna crooned, sliding aside just a little and raising his hand from tucked at Mito's back to hold it out in welcome.

Hashirama smiled, a shiver running through him, and hurried to join them, nestling into the narrow space Izuna had made. Mito hummed under his palm as he stroked her hip and up her body, arching pliantly beneath his caress, and Hashirama nudged in against her and tugged her close. Mito may have complied with his gentle pull with a warm smile and an easy curve, but Izuna needed no prompting, winding himself against Hashirama eagerly as soon as he was close enough to reach.

Hashirama snuggled down between them with a happy hum, wrapping his free arm around his lover as his wife nuzzled his shoulder. She lifted her head briefly to kiss his jaw, then settled it on his shoulder with a soft contented sound, fingers trailing lazy caresses over his belly. His muscles tensed and fluttered beneath her delicate touch.

Izuna tangled his fingers with hers for a moment, squeezing, then released her and braced his hand on Hashirama's hip as he leaned up. Hashirama looked up at him with a curious sound, not moving, and Izuna grinned, pressing close against him and claiming a demanding, needy kiss Hashirama was only too happy to sink into.

He really had missed them both something terrible, and while he had been glad they were safe together, he had become rather forlorn with missing them, knowing they were off happily together even if they missed him in return. He was more than delighted to finally have them back in his arms.

* * *

Sotoga's name was suggested to me and comes from Sotogawa, for 'outside' - as the theme of this plot was 'an outside POV'. (Poor, poor Sotoga. . .)


End file.
